German tour operators will not exit Romania in 2013, says tourism ministry

Newsroom 17/08/2012 | 08:39

Following media reports that German tour operators TUI and ITS consider withdrawing from the local market next year, representatives of the Ministry of Tourism and Regional Development (MDRT) have had talks with German tourism companies earlier this week in Berlin.

“German tour operators will not exit the Romanian market next year. We have talked about the marketing and communication strategies we are preparing at market level but also for German travel agencies so that we can generate sales increases on the German market and not only,” said Cristian Barhalescu, state secretary for tourism at MDRT.

By the end of this year the ministry plans to carry out an analysis on the number of German tourists coming to Romania over the past years and their satisfaction degree. This analysis will help come up with strategies to improve the partnerships with German tour operators, said MDRT representatives.

The ministry is also taking the necessary steps to pay German tour operators outstanding debts for promotion contracts signed last year worth EUR 287,500. “Another important issue was the negotiation of the ways of promoting Romanian tourist destinations by German tour operators in 2013,” said MDRT.

According to media reports earlier this week, German TUI and ITS, two of the largest tour operators in the world, intend to withdraw from the local market mainly due to Romania’s lack of tourism promotion on the German market and its worsening image.